Drought

Here in the West we have been locked in a long-term drought. Over the past few years it seemed as if we might finally be moving into a wetter weather pattern, but so far this year we have been absolutely parched. Normally, we would have received between 1.45 and 1.50 inches by now, but so far this year we've gotten only .21 inches of precipitation. And it shows. The desert is noticeably drier, and the normally strong spring winds have carried more dust and sand than in any previous year I can remember. Perhaps lack of rain and strong winds are what caused this large ocotillo to be uprooted.

Different desert animals eat various parts of the spiny prickly pear cactus. I once saw a javelina in Big Bend National Park chomping on a prickly pear pad (hypodermic needles and all), and I can remember thinking, "Now that is a creature with a HARD palate." I know that coyotes, who are omnivores (animals who eat both meat and vegetables), often consume the pears from the cacti, as is evidence by the red prickly pear skins in their scat (poop). And I have seen packrats munching merrily on prickly pear pads in an effort to get the proper amount of fiber in their diets. This particular prickly pear pad bears the tooth marks of some hungry critter.